In this video, Novogratz talks about her plight to try and "save the world" from poverty. She goes to Africa with the hopes of giving charity. With the help of African women, she realized a better alternative to charity.
She discusses the differences between charity and microfinancing, or investment and the giving of an opportunity for a self-sustainable lifestyle, and speaks about her own project, the Acumen Fund, which take charitable donations and gives them to individuals as microloans and investments to start business, many agricultural. This directly creates jobs, incomes and opportunities for people who otherwise would have to attempt to survive on occasional food packages from helicopters, if anything at all.
Novogratz asserts that the inherent dignity of the human spirit is inevitable suppressed by charity. By giving charity to the other, we confer upon them a status of inferiority; it's almost like a statement of their relative inadequacy and uselessness. In contrast, by using the funds generally given in traditional forms of charity towards microloans and investments, we provide those in need with the funds they need to rise above their situation by giving them our charity in the form of trust, as in a statement of our belief that they are capable of doing that which they aspire to do. With this gift, they not only learn to help themselves, but help others by boosting the economy and even helping the original entrepreneurs that invested in the businesses.
Novogratz also mentions that microfinancing is more effective than charity because the receivers get increased dignity and choice. Although there needs to be some acceptance of money from a provider, the real success comes from the distribution. If the money, healthcare, or help is received in a professioanal businesslike manner, the receiver can feel more dignified. The dignity may be due to the money being given as a loan and not out of pity.
She discusses the differences between charity and microfinancing, or investment and the giving of an opportunity for a self-sustainable lifestyle, and speaks about her own project, the Acumen Fund, which take charitable donations and gives them to individuals as microloans and investments to start business, many agricultural. This directly creates jobs, incomes and opportunities for people who otherwise would have to attempt to survive on occasional food packages from helicopters, if anything at all.
Novogratz asserts that the inherent dignity of the human spirit is inevitable suppressed by charity. By giving charity to the other, we confer upon them a status of inferiority; it's almost like a statement of their relative inadequacy and uselessness. In contrast, by using the funds generally given in traditional forms of charity towards microloans and investments, we provide those in need with the funds they need to rise above their situation by giving them our charity in the form of trust, as in a statement of our belief that they are capable of doing that which they aspire to do. With this gift, they not only learn to help themselves, but help others by boosting the economy and even helping the original entrepreneurs that invested in the businesses.
Novogratz also mentions that microfinancing is more effective than charity because the receivers get increased dignity and choice. Although there needs to be some acceptance of money from a provider, the real success comes from the distribution. If the money, healthcare, or help is received in a professioanal businesslike manner, the receiver can feel more dignified. The dignity may be due to the money being given as a loan and not out of pity.